TO THE HONORABLE BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, AND TO THE PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE AND THE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, AND TO THE SENATE AND HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE UNITED STATES, IN CONGRESS ASSEMBLED, AND TO SALLY JEWELL, SECRETARY OF THE DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR:

We, your Memorialists, the Senate and House of Representatives of the State of Washington, in legislative session assembled, respectfully represent and petition as follows:

WHEREAS, Maintaining a healthy suite of economic, environmental, and social ecosystem services in aquatic systems is integral to the quality of life in the State of Washington; and

WHEREAS, Healthy aquatic habitats provide clean drinking water, flood control, transportation, recreation, purification of human and industrial wastes, power generation, habitat for native plants and animals, production of fish and other foods, marketable goods, and cultural benefits; and

WHEREAS, Aquatic invasive species, including Dreissenids (quagga mussels (Dreissena rostriformis bugensis) and zebra mussels (Dreissena polymorpha)), are invasive species that cause irreparable ecological damage to many waters in the United States; and

WHEREAS, Dreissenids have not yet been detected in the Pacific Northwest. The estimated annual cost to address established populations of dreissenids in the Pacific Northwest economic region is almost five hundred million dollars annually; and

WHEREAS, The Water Resources Reform and Development Act was signed in June 2014. It authorizes twenty million dollars for Columbia River Basin dreissenid efforts through the Secretary of the Army;

NOW, THEREFORE, Your Memorialists respectfully request that Congress expedite appropriation of these funds to significantly enhance monitoring and prevention efforts and to implement the intent of the Water Resources Reform and Development Act.

BE IT RESOLVED, That copies of this Memorial be immediately transmitted to the Honorable Barack Obama, President of the United States, Sally Jewell, Secretary of the Department of the Interior, the President of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and each member of Congress from the State of Washington.

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